Speed-responsive signal



July 30, 1929- D. A. RYAN SPEED RESPONSI VE SIGNAL Filed March 24, 1928 BY Dark/221A, 6W);

- Line-inter 16 15W.

Patented July 30, 1929.

barren stares DANIEL ARTHUR RYAN, 0F LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

SPEED-BESPONSIVE SIGNAL.

Application filed March 24, 1928.

The present invention relates, as indicated, to a speed-responsive signal, and the primary object thereof is to provide a device which will emit an audible signal when the vehicle to which it is attached attains a predetermined speed. Further objects are to provide a device of the character described which will be exceedingly simple in structure, in which the necessary adjustments may be easily made, which will be accurate, and which will be inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of vari ous mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof taken from the left of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a plan View thereof; Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but showing parts in a'diiferent position; Fig. 5 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing one possible location for the device; and Fig. 6

is a perspective view of a detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates generally a casing comprising two meeting sections 2 and 3. These sections are formed to providea substantially spherical casing pro vided with cylindrical polar extensions 4 and 5. Bushings 6 and 7 are adapted to be snugly received within said extensions, and these bushings provide bearings for the .opposite ends of a shaft 8.

One or both of the ends 9 ofsaid shaft may be given a polygonal form, or said ends may be otherwise formed to provide for a nonrotatable connection thereof with the cablelO connected to the speedometer 11. It is to be understood that this device may be connected to any rotating part of the vehicle, but that I prefer to connect it in the speedometer driving cable 10.

A pair of arms 12 and 13 are pivoted to said shaft as at 14 substantially at the center of said vehicle casing. The free end of each is weight 1 at 15, and leaf sprin flat secured to sac...

Serial No. 264,513.

of said arms, each of said spring members having an end 17 extending slightly beyond the free end of its respective arm.

The casing'is provided with a slot 18 located substantially upon one of the equatorial lines of said casing, and the slot 18 is'formed adjacent one end with a pair of oppositely disposed enlargements 19 and 20. Of course, it is to be understood that the enlargements 19 and 20 might be formed at any point in the length of the slot 18.

A leaf spring member 21 isprovided with a pair of oppositely disposed notches 22 defining a narrow portion 23 adjacent one end 21 of said leaf; Said leaf is further formed with a second'pair of oppositely disposed notches 25 defining a second narrow portion 26 adjacent. the opposite end 27 thereof.

7 Upon inspection, it will be seen that the width of the ma or portion of the slot 18 is substantially equal to the width of the narrowed portions 28 and 26 of the leaf 21, while the width of the major portion of the leaf 21 is substantially equal to the width of the enlarged portion of the slot 18 formed by the enlargements 19 and 20.

In .assembling the device, the ends 241 and i 27 of the leaf 21 are bent to the position shownin Figs. 1 and 4, and the extreme tip of the end 27 is bent at right angles to form a projecting tongue 29. The end 24 ofthe leaf 21 is then inserted through the enlarged portion of the slot 18 until the notches 22 come into registry with the walls of said slot. Said leaf is'then slid upwardly in said slot until the face thereof comes into contact with the end wall of the slot whereafter the end 27 of the leaf 21 is inserted through the enlarged portion ofthe slot 18 .until the notches 25 come into registry with the walls of said slot. It will readily be seen that, in order to insert the end 27 in the enlarged'portion ofthe slot after the end 2 1thereofhas been so inserted, it is necessary to flex said member,

and the natural recoil of said member 21 will,

As it t been stated, the herein disclosed de vice connected. teeny" rstatmg; part of the vehicle, but I prefer to connect it in the speedometer cable 10. In Fig. 5 I have illustrated one advantageous position for said device, the same being mounted upon the floor board 30 of the vehicle and between said board and the instrument board 31 upon which is mounted the speedometer 11. The two sections 2 and 3 of the casing 1 are preferably formed with flanges 32 at their open edges, so that said flanges may be secured together to hold said sections firmly in place.

The operation of the device is as follows. Presuming the speed limit in extra urban regions to be 35 miles an hour, the device is so proportioned that the arms 12 and 13 will assume a horizontal position such as is illustrated in Fig. 4: when a vehicle is moving at a speed of approximately 36 miles an hour. WVhen the motorist is driving in such districts, he places the leaf 21 in the position illustrated in the drawings. If, now, the driver thoughtlessly exceeds a speed of 35 7 miles an hour, the arms will assume the position illustrated in Fig. 4. and each revolution of the shaft 8 will cause each of the ends 17 of the spring members 16 to strike against the tongue 29 of the leaf 21. This rapid contact will cause an audible buzz which will warn the driver that he is exceeding the speed limit. The casing 1 is preferably provided with grad uations adjacent the edge of the slot 18, such graduations indicating various vehicle speeds. As the driver enters the out lying districts of a city where the speed limit is, say, 25 miles an hour, he grasps the looped portion 28 of the leaf 21 and slides said leaf downwardly along the slot 18 to bring the same into registry with the graduation on the casing indicating the speed of 25 miles an hour. It will be seen here that the spherical shape of the casing 1 is important, since it is essential that the distance from the point 14 to the end of the tongue 29 shall be always the same, regardless of the position of the leaf 21, With the leaf in this new position, the operation of the device will be the same as above described save that the buzz will be emitted by the device as soon as the vehicle exceeds a speed of 25 miles per hour. The range of flexibility of the device is dependent, of course, upon the length of the slot 18, and such length may be varied in accordance with conditions which may be met.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a shaft adapted to be connected to a rotating element, an element mounted on said shaft and adapted to be moved relative thereto by rotation of said shaft, and a member adapted to be positioned to be struck by said element when the latter has been so moved to any predetermined degree.

2. A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a casing, ashaftjournalled in said casing and adapted to be connected to a rotary element, a member adjustably mounted on said casing to project thereinto, an element mounted on said shaft and movable relative thereto by rotation of said shaft, and means on said last named element adapted, when said element has been so moved to any predetermined degree, to strike said member.

8. A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a casing, a shaft journalled in said casing and adapted to be connected to a rotary element, a member adjustably mounted on said casing to project thereinto, and an arm pivot-ed to said shaft and adapted to strike said member when said arm has been swung outwardly to any predetermined degree.

4. A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a casing, a shaft journalled in said casing and adapted to be connected to a rotary element, a member adjustably mounted on said casing to project thereinto, and a weighted arm pivoted to said shaft and adapted to strike said memher when said arm has been swung outwardly to any predetermined degree.

5. A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a casing, a shaft journalled in said casing and adapted to be connected to a rotary element, a member adjustably mounted to project into said casin a portion of said member extending out of said casing as a handle, an element on said shaft and movable relative thereto by rotation of said shaft, and means on said lastnamed element adapted, when said element has been so moved to any predetermined degree, to strike that portion of said member within said casing.

6. 'A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a casing, a shaft journalled in said casing and adapted to be connected to a rotary element, a member adj ustably mounted to project into said casing, aportion of said member extending out of said casing as a handle, an arm pivoted to said shaft and adapted to be swung outwardly by centrifugal force, and means on said arm adapted, when said arm has been so swung to any predetermined degree, to strike that portion of said member within said casing.

7. A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a casing, a shaft journalled in said casing and adapted to be connected to a rotary element, a member adjustably mounted to project into said casing,

a portion of said member extending out of said casing as a handle, an arm pivoted to said shaft and adapted to be swung outwardly by centrifugal force, and a spring leaf having a fiat face secured to said arm and extending beyond the free end thereof, said leaf being adapted, when said arm has been so swung to any predetermined degree, to strike with its flat face that portion of said member within said casing.

8. A signal mechanism for indicating excessive speed comprising a casing, a shaft journalled in said casing and adapted to be connected to a rotary element, a spring member adjustably mounted in said casing, said member being flexed in its mounting whereby its own resilience holds it frictionally against accidental movement, an element mounted on said shaft and movable relative thereto by rotation of said shaft, and means on said lastnamed element adapted, when said element has been so moved to any predetermined degree, to strike said member.

9. A signal mechanism for indicating eX- cessive speed comprising a substantially spherical casing provided with a slot on one of its equatorial lines, a shaft adapted to be connected to'a rotating element, an element mounted on said shaft and adapted to be moved relative thereto by rotation of said shaft, and a member adjustably mounted in said slot and extending into said casing, said element being adapted, when so moved to any predetermined degree, to strike that portion of said member within said casing.

10. The combination with a substantially spherical casing having a shaft journalled therein and provided with a slot the center line of which lies in a plane with the axis of said shaft, of an arm having its one end pivoted to said shaft substantially at the center of said spherical casing, and a spring member adapted to be mounted in said slot, said slot being provided with a widened portion adapted to receive said spring member, and said spring member being provided with two spaced pairs of oppositely disposed notches forming portions adapted to be received in the narrow part of said slot.

11. The combination with a substantially spherical casing having a slot formed therein upon one of its equatorial lines, said slot being formed with an enlarged portion, of a member adapted to be received in said slot comprising a spring leaf having a width, over the major portion of its length, substantially equal to the width of the enlarged portion of said slot, said leaf being formed with two spaced pairs of notches in its edges, each pair of said notches reducing the width of said leaf substantially to the width of the major portion of said slot, and means in said casing for striking said leaf under predetermined conditions.

12. The combination with a substantially spherical casing formed with a slot on one of its equatorial lines, of a spring leaf mounted in said slot and having itsends bent to conform to the interior surface of said casing, the mid portion of said leaf being flexed and extending exteriorly of said casing, and means in said casing adapted to strike said leaf under predetermined conditions.

Signed by me this 23rd day ofMarch, 1928.

DANIEL ARTHUR RYAN. 

